Grace stood in the tree line early next morning, keeping watch while Bill caught up on much needed sleep. Bill had been out staying on guard for a few days now, it was only fair that he gets some rest. As much as Grace wanted to return to her cot and sleep, Grace also wanted to keep her family safe. It was still dark but not too dark, the sun would start to rise in about an hour she figured. The tired woman let out a yawn while holding one of the camp repeaters that were found near the entrance of the camp, available for camp members to take when keeping watch. Grace jolted awake when she heard hooves coming down the path in front of the camp. She ducked behind a nearby tree in swift movement, peeking around the tree. If it was someone just passing by and they saw her, they would suspect something. However, if they come down the path towards camp, they would be in trouble. The hooves slowed down to a walk, turning into the bush towards the camp. Grace revealed herself, holding the repeater tight in her small hands.
"Who's there?" She demanded. Grace calmed herself when she recognised the horse to be Lenny's, the kid smiling down at her.
"It's just me," he called out before stopping his horse beside her. Grace grinned up at Lenny, seeing he was a lot more relaxed than yesterday morning.
"You feeling better?" She asked, petting his horse on the nose. His horse nodded happily and Lenny also nodded, answering her question.
"Other than my headache and I keep throwing up, I'm fine. Arthur's gone to get Micah now," Lenny added. I nodded, at least we knew where Arthur was in case he didn't return for a few days. The obvious answer would be he was most likely arrested for trying to break Micah out, more than likely to be hung with him.
"Go see Susan if you get too sick, she'll look after you," Grace informed Lenny. Lenny nodded before continuing his way back to camp, leaving Grace to keep guard. Grace returned to her tree, sitting against the trunk. Grace kept her eyes peeled and her ears alert.
The sound of more hooves jolted Grace awake, quickly reaching for the repeater that she leaned up against the tree next to her before she had dozed off. It was now the middle of the day, dark clouds forming in the distance to the east. Grace stuck behind her tree, standing up now as she peeked around once again. She sighed with relief when she recognised the horse of Arthur Morgan.
"You're back!" She called out to him as he entered the tree line. Arthur looked frustrated, Micah was nowhere to be seen. Grace frowned in confusion. "Lenny told me you were going to get Micah... where is he?" She asked. Arthur scratched his jaw as he stopped his horse before Grace.
"I got him after shooting up the whole town, goddamn fool," Arthur muttered. Grace sighed, understanding why Arthur would be frustrated. "He's going to get a gift for Dutch," Arthur continued. Grace rolled her eyes, not surprised with Micah. He had been trying for a while now to get Dutch to trust him more than Arthur. "You look tired," Arthur changed the topic, not wanting to talk about Micah for any longer. Grace nodded.
"I took over for Bill. He hadn't slept for days," Grace explained. Arthur chuckled.
"Bill needs to toughen up, the dumbass. Go rest, I'll get Bill back out here," Arthur insisted. Grace shook her head, standing her ground.
"We both know I can do this, Arthur." Grace reminded. Arthur chuckled lightly, looking at the woman who was staring at him fierce.
"Alright," he gave in before heading down to camp. Grace watched as Arthur headed down to camp, Dutch's voice following not long after as he greeted Arthur with questions about Micah. Grace began to think that she should've taken Arthur's offer, getting Bill back out here so she could go rest. Although she wanted to prove herself to the gang that she is just as capable to do things like the rest of them.
Grace stumbled into camp, exhausted as night fell over the camp. She ushered to Javier to head out and he nodded, not arguing with her. Grace overheard Arthur talking to Herr Strauss.
"I ain't doing your work," Arthur argued. Grace guessed that Strauss had found more desperate people who needed money badly that they accepted the offer of Strauss' money-lending hands. Strauss looked up from his seat behind his small desk, fixing his spectacles as he looked up at the muscular figure of Arthur Morgan.
"Herr Morgan, please. It's for the camp," Strauss reminded. Arthur paced before him, sighing.
"How much goddamn money did you lend out?" Arthur questioned as he sighed.
"Please Mister Morgan, it's just one more," Strauss pushed. Grace approached the two, joining in.
"I'll come with you," Grace offered. Arthur looked over at her as she stood a little bit away from the two. Arthur sighed as he looked at her before nodding at Strauss.
"Fine, I'll go. What's his name?" Arthur gave in. Strauss jumped slightly, peering back down into his book, his finger pointing to the name of Thomas Downes.
"I met this feller in Valentine, a preacher and farmer I believe," Strauss explained. Arthur raised an eyebrow, peering down at Leopold's book of debts.
"The opinionated little do-gooder? Yeah, I know the one. I certainly know the type," Arthur scoffed. Grace tilted her head, wondering how Arthur knew him. Then again, she didn't want to find out either.
"Thank you Herr Morgan. I've tried being polite, don't take any nonsense," Strauss added. Arthur chuckled, looking at Grace before back at Strauss.
"Nonsense? Me?" Arthur joked. Strauss didn't see through Arthur's joke however.
"If he doesn't have the money, you beat him," Strauss ordered. Grace looked at Strauss in shock. Was beating really the answer to this? This man sounded desperate to take money from a money-lending scum. Arthur looked over at Grace, ushering her to follow him.
"Well, I usually do," Arthur answered as they both walked away from Leopold Strauss.
"Arthur!" Grace blurted out in shock. Arthur frowned, looking over his shoulder at her as the two approached the horses.
"What? They won't cooperate, neither will I," Arthur pointed out.
"But don't you think that's a bit harsh? They are desperate for money," Grace argued. Arthur shook his head as he mounted his horse, Grace mounting hers.
"It's what Strauss does. Don't like it, don't come," Arthur grunted. Grace stayed quiet as she followed Arthur towards the Downes' Farm, somehow Arthur knew where they were. The two stayed quiet on the ride there, Grace knew that she shouldn't argue with Arthur since she knew she couldn't change his mind anyway. They cantered their horses through the stream just below the camp, crossing the water. Grace felt the water splash against her skin on her arms, the coolness making her feel relaxed. The horses splashed out of the water and Grace continued to follow Arthur in silence.
The two arrived at the Farm, Grace spotting a man in a small pen of what looked like wheat. The man looked like he was struggling and exhausted but he was still working.
"I think that's him," Grace pointed him out. Arthur nodded, dismounting his horse.
"Yep, that's the maggot," Arthur sighed. Grace followed him, quickly dismounting her horse. Arthur pushed open the gate of the pen, Thomas jumping in alarm as he spun around. His face looked pale, sickly pale. "Mr Downes, you owe us some money," Arthur grunted as he stared down the man. Thomas was very jumpy and terrified as he held his rake in his hands.
"Please sir! I-I'm...I'll..." Thomas started, startled by the anger looking Arthur Morgan. Grace watched as Thomas attempted the swing his rake at Arthur, attempting to hit him. Arthur caught the rake with a hand, ripping it away from Thomas before punching the man across the face, causing him to fall down into the dirt.
"Threaten me, would ya?" Arthur hissed as he stared at the man squirming in the dirt. Grace rested her hands on the wooden pen, watching closely. Something wasn't right to her.
"Please Sir! I have a fa-family!" Thomas pleaded, hoping Arthur would stop. Grace winced as Arthur punched the man again, the man crawling back slightly to get away from Arthur.
"I don't care about your family!" Arthur spat out like venom. Thomas was now up against the fence, staring up at Arthur in fear.
"Arthur," Grace called out in attempt to help Thomas. Arthur punched Mr Downes again. "Arthur!" Grace yelled. Arthur looked over his shoulder at her, pulling the man to his feet.
"What?" Arthur grunted at her. Grace heard the door of the house open, a woman gasping and calling out to someone from the house.
"He is sick," Grace pointed out. Arthur looked at Thomas before shoving him against the fence, pushing him away from him.
"Shit," Arthur muttered as he watched as Thomas crumpled over on the ground, splattering with coughs. Grace and Arthur watched as the man coughed up blood.
"Thomas!" The lady called out as she hurried over. Her and her son pushed past Grace, Grace scowling as she got pushed. Arthur began to leave the pen.
"What you looking at?" Arthur sneered as he marched out of the pen.
"Thomas!" The lady cried out again, seeing her husband on the ground. Grace placed a hand on the woman's shoulder, holding her back in case she went crazy on Arthur. The woman's brows furrowed down in fury, shaking Grace's hand off of her.
"I said what you looking at, woman?" Arthur repeated, the woman still staring at him.
"My husband isn't well!" She pleaded. Arthur shook his head in disgust, disappointed that Strauss lent money to a dying man. "If we could just-"
"Like I said, we ain't nobody's idea of charity. Get us the money," Arthur hissed, waving at Grace to leave the family. Grace followed, watching the boy and his mother run over to Thomas, helping him to his feet. Grace marched after Arthur, not impressed.
"Was that really necessary?" Grace hissed as they approached their horses once again.
"I did as Strauss said," Arthur muttered, grabbing his horse's reins. Grace frowned, snatching the reins from him so he couldn't leave.
"He was clearly sick!" Grace argued. Arthur stared at the girl, snatching his reins back from her. Grace jumped slightly, moving out of his way. "Tuberculous it looked like," Grace continued. Grace folded her arms across her chest as she watched Arthur mount without giving her so little as a look. "Very contagious," she hissed. Grace was expecting at least a thank you from Arthur, considering she possibly saved his life.
"Yeah. You coming back?" Arthur grunted, annoyed with Grace. Grace grabbed her reins, pulling them over her saddle horn as she gripped the saddle horn as she swung up into the saddle, Arthur already galloping off as she sat down into the saddle.